Industrial robots may be used to perform repetitive tasks such as the welding of component parts together, cutting, routing, grinding, and polishing. Typically, the robot always repeats a specific preprogrammed task. The products which are usually worked on by the robot may have a specific support structure, or jig, that support the product at a precise location in relation to the robot. In another application, industrial robots are used to position products at a precise location so that they may be worked on by another robotic device.
A robotic arm is a robot manipulator with functions that have been compared to a human arm. Joints of a robotic arm may allow rotational motion (such as in an articulated robot) or translational (linear) displacement. The joints of the robotic arm can be considered to form a kinematic chain. Robots and robotic arms are used, for example, in automotive assembly lines.
Robotic arms may be categorized by their degrees of freedom. This number typically refers to the number of single-axis rotational joints in the arm. A higher number indicates an increased flexibility in positioning a tool. Modern robotic arms typically achieve more than six degrees of freedom.